145) Personal Flair

If you want to get thousands of replications of something produced for cheap, you go to China. The country is notorious for its mass manufacturing. On the streets of Xian, vendor after vendor sells identical miniature Terra Cotta Warriors, jade bangles and fat wooden buddhas. The densely populated city streets teem with people, who while unique individuals, possess less physical diversity than one would see in the states. It's easy to think that China is a land of sames, of look-a-likes, of generally conformity. 

But not quite. Today while visiting the famed clay warriors, we saw a huge group of what looked to be middle school children on a field trip. They streamed into the museum area, quickly organizing into several straight lines. They all - boys and girls - wore identical uniforms of head to toe camouflage. But as we passed them, I looked down at their feet. Converse, Nike, adidas, K Swiss, Kappa - each student had on his or her choice brand of sneakers. Some had even drawn on their shoes for further personalization. What initially looked like a sea of sameness gave way to these pieces of personal flair.